Virginia Coach Tony Bennett Abruptly Retires Before Season Opener

University of Virginia men's basketball head coach, Tony Bennett, is abruptly retiring before the start of the season.

On Oct. 17 (Thursday), the school announced that Bennett, who has coached the Cavaliers since 2009, is stepping down as head coach, effective immediately.

UVA has yet to announce any potential replacements for Bennett, or what their plan is mere weeks before the season starts.

Bennett had signed a two-year contract extension earlier this year, which is why the sudden move has sent a shockwave through collegiate sports.

Insiders have stressed that the 55-year-old isn't walking away due to any health-related issues.

Commissioner Jim Phillips praised Bennett as "one of the most accomplished coaches in the storied history of ACC Basketball."

"He is a fierce competitor, but one who always leads with integrity, class and unwavering values. He has made an indelible impact on countless student-athletes and developed them not only in basketball, but also as young men. He is a legend who we will deeply miss having on the sidelines as well as his daily impact in the league, the sport and college athletics," he said in a statement, per ESPN.

Former Villanova coach Jay Wright called Bennett "one of the most talented and toughest coaches we ever competed against."

"We always respected him and his teams at the highest level . A class guy. Inspirational - spiritual and an incredible competitor!" Wright, who retired in 2022, wrote on X (formerly Twitter).

According to VirginiaSports.com, Bennett's retirement announcement will take place at John Paul Jones Arena at 11 a.m. on Friday.

The collegiate sports legend has coached at the University of Virginia for 15 seasons, and most recently, led the Cavaliers to 2019 NCAA Championship glory.